First 2 Weeks Low Carb Food List

Are you starting out with your low carb diet - whether it's Atkins, South Beach or another style? Here is a food list to get you through those first two weeks. Print this out and bring it with you to the grocery store! Choose your favorites, plus add one or two "new things" each time you shop too, to explore new foods. You might be surprised how tasty it can be to eat fresh food!

Meats/Fish
Just about every meat and fish has 0g of carbs. Do not eat processed meats, hot dogs and liver. Get meat into each meal.

Vegetables
It is extremely important to eat your vegetables! They are chock-full of important nutrients. Try to have a veggie or two at each meal, and extra veggies for snacks. Learn new, fun veggies recipes!

Herbs
Make sure your spice cabinet is up to date! You will find it amazing how flavorful your food can be when it's made fresh and cooked with delicious spices.

Things to Avoid
For now, avoid fruits, berries, milk, nuts, and of course anything full of sugar like soda! No chips or candies! There are lots of great low carb chocolates and ice creams, but avoid these for the first 2 weeks. You're trying to cleanse your system of potential allergens right now. When you add these things back in after 2 weeks, you'll find out how your particular body reacts to each of these items.

A Note About Soda
In an ideal world you'd cut out all soda too, because many people are allergic to artificial sweeteners found in soda. However, I know many people are addicted to soda and trying to go cold turkey would cause them to abandon the new eating plan after a day or two. If you currently have sugary soda in your daily life, definitely change to a diet brand - but I wouldn't try to cut it out completely right now. You want to give yourself the best possible chance of success. In the future, as you settle into this way of eating, be sure to read my pages on weaning yourself off the chemical brew!